Apparatus for Collecting Insects, Kitchen Waste, Dust, or the Like, in a Collection Bag

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for collecting insects, kitchen waste, dust or similar waste material, comprising a holding frame ( 1 ) in which a collecting bag ( 4 ) is received which has a cord ( 8 ), such that the bag can be closed by pulling the cord. An opening is provided in the frame, to lead the cord out towards the outside of the frame. The outside of the free edge area of the bag is fastened to the inside of the holding frame by means of at least one fastening device ( 13, 14 ), such that the fastening can be detached by pulling together the free edge of the bag while pulling the cord section led out of the same. The invention further relates to a collecting bag ( 4 ) which is provided with a cord ( 8 ) for pulling together the bag opening and with a fastening device ( 13, 14 ) for fastening in the frame ( 1 ).

The invention relates to an apparatus for collecting insects, kitchen waste, dust, or similar waste material in a collecting bag which is received in a holding frame which is formed, for example, as a container. The invention further relates to a collecting bag for being received and fastened in a holding frame.

In the state of the art insect traps of the device type are known, in which attractants for attracting insects and a fan are disposed, by which the attracted insects are blown into a receptacle.

In addition, garbage cans are for example known which comprise a garbage bag for kitchen waste, which is mostly put over the free edge of the garbage can which for its part can be closed by a lid. Insects may develop in the kitchen waste, flying out when the lid is open, and all the more the longer the lid is kept open.

In addition, dust bags in the receptacle of vacuum cleaners are known, the dust bags having for example a kind of cardboard flange and being clamped by the corresponding lid.

Receptacles and collecting bags for waste material of that type have to be emptied or disposed of from time to time. For this purpose, they have to be taken out of the corresponding device and are therefore open to the outside for a more or less long period of time, such that the insects or the dust or the like can escape to the ambiance.

The invention solves the problem to provide an apparatus and a collecting bag for collecting insects, kitchen waste, dust or similar waste material, wherein the apparatus comprises a holding frame in which the collecting bag is received, and wherein the collecting bag is on the one hand easily held in the holding frame when the bag opening is opened, and on the other hand can be closed easily within the holding frame and can be taken out of the holding frame in the closed state.

According to the invention, a flexible collecting bag is received in the holding frame, comprising a cord movably extending along the free edge area of the bag and comprising a free cord section extending from an outlet position on the outside of the edge area, so that the bag can be closed by pulling the cord, thereby causing contraction of the free edge area. An opening is formed in the holding frame, through which the cord section is led outwards to the outside of the frame. In addition, at least one releasable fastening device is provided, which is disposed on the outside of the bag edge area or on the inside of the holding frame, such that the collecting bag is fastened to the inside of the holding frame with the outside of its edge area if the bag opening is open. The fastening device is configured in such a manner to enable a release of the free edge area of the bag by a contraction of the edge area if the cord section which is led outward is pulled.

According to the invention, the bag is therefore on the one hand detached from the holding frame and on the other hand closed within the holding frame in one go by contraction of its free edge area when the cord section led out of the holding frame is pulled. Thereafter, the holding frame can be opened by taking a lid off the device or by detaching it from the device to which the holding frame is fastened. Then, the collecting bag can be taken out of the holding frame in a closed state. In this connection, the cord section led out of the opening is pulled out of the opening in the holding frame if the opening is formed as a hole, or it is lifted out of the opening if said opening is formed as a slot which is open at the free edge of the holding frame.

When the bag edge area is closed, it is supported at the edge of the opening on the inside of the holding frame, whereby the edge area is pulled together towards said opening edge. The led out cord section is in general provided to be loop-shaped or formed by two cord end portions, so that the cord edge portion is pulled together from both sides of the outlet position and the opening and is more and more pulled away from the inside of the holding frame, starting at its position opposite the opening.

Accordingly, the fastening device is formed in such a manner that it can be detached through the unilateral diminution of the bag opening within the holding frame having a round or square circumference. At the position opposite the opening of the holding frame tensile forces act upon the fastening device, which are acting mainly perpendicularly to the inner surface of the holding frame and by which the fastening device is detached. When approaching the opening in the ring-shaped frame, peeling forces acting obliquely to the inner surface of the holding frame increasingly act upon the fastening device, by which the fastening device is drawn off the inner surface.

Accordingly, the fastening device is configured such that it can be lifted and peeled off the inner surface by forces acting transversely to the inner surface of the holding frame. A typical example for such a fastening device is an adhesive tape. Several adhesive tape portions may also be provided which are arranged at the inner circumference of the edge portion of the bag or at the inner circumference of the holding frame at a distance from each other. In replacement bags, the adhesive portions attached to the same may be covered by a removable protective sheet which is removed prior to arranging the bag in the holding frame.

If the bag is made of a material in which a hook-and-loop fastener tape can be hooked, the fastening device can for example be a hook-and-loop fastener tape having a plurality of hook-and-loop fastener hooks which is attached to the inside of the holding frame in a continuous manner or in the form of portions being arranged at a distance from each other.

Instead of one single fastening device on the outside of the bag edge area or on the inside of the holding frame, co-operating fastening devices may be provided as well, one fastening device of which being attached to the outside of the bag edge portion and the other fastening device being attached to the inside of the holding frame. An example of fastening devices co-operating in such a manner may be a hook-and-loop fastener having on the one hand a plurality of hooks and on the other hand a plurality of loops or of hooks as well.

The co-operating fastening devices may also be provided as mechanical connector assemblies, one connector assembly of which being provided as at least one flexible protrusion and the other connector assembly being provided as at least one bushing into which the protrusion can be clamped and/or locked. An example of connector assemblies of that type may be a plurality of pin-like protrusions arranged at a small distance from each other on both fastening devices, the protrusions of the one fastening device meshing with the protrusions of the other fastening device in a fastening manner.

Preferably, the one fastening device is a clamping slot on the outside of the bag edge area or—preferably—on the inside of the holding frame, whereas the other fastening device is a ridge-shaped flexible protrusion—preferably having a mushroom-shaped cross-section—which in the preferred embodiment protrudes from the outside of the bag edge area and which can be clamped into the clamping slot. The clamping slot and the ridge extend in a circumferential direction of the holding frame and the bag edge area and have the advantage that they can be both pulled apart and peeled apart easily.

If the protrusion is provided in the form of pins or ridges on the bag edge area, these can preferably be pressed together flexibly and elastically, so as to be pressed into the related clamping slot in the edge area of the holding frame while being deformed elastically. In this context, the clamping slot can also be limited by flexible or preferably by stiff walls. In contrast, it is also possible to provide the clamping slot on the bag edge area, the clamping slot preferably being elastically expandable and interacting with a stiff counter-protrusion on the holding frame. Preferably, it should be made sure that a contraction of the bag edge area by means of the cord is made possible by providing the fastening device for example in the form of a protrusion or a clamping slot. This can be achieved by a corresponding flexibility and/or by a sufficiently small extension in the circumferential direction of the edge area and/or by large distances between the fastening portions.

In addition, it is also possible to ensure by a corresponding arrangement and distribution of the fastening device or the fastening devices that these can be easily released from each other when the bag edge area is pulled together. If the fastening device or the fastening devices are provided in such a manner that they can be released more easily by stripping them obliquely than by pulling them apart perpendicularly, the fastening device or rather the fastening devices can for example be omitted at the position opposite the opening in the holding frame and can be arranged relative to the same in a laterally shifted manner. Correspondingly, positions in a circumferential direction on both sides of the outlet position of the cord and the opening in the holding frame can be held free from fastening devices.

In many cases it is sufficient to attach the bag edge area to the holding frame only at a few positions distributed on the circumference of the holding frame, in order to keep the bag opening open within the holding frame. However, if the fastening devices are formed by a clamping slot and a ridge that can be clamped into the same, both of them may be provided in a self-contained manner all around the entire circumference of the inside of the holding frame on the bag edge area and the holding frame, respectively, so as to be favorable to their production. For an effective attachment of the bag while keeping the bag opening open, it is then sufficient to clamp the ridge into the clamping slot only at positions distributed at a distance from each other.

Especially in the case of such an embodiment, the clampable bar may alternatively be formed by the cord made for example of a squeezable plastic fiber which is for example threaded through holes in the bag edge, alternating from the outside to the inside and from the inside to the outside, or through outer loops on the outside of the bag edge portion, and which is therefore exposed outwards along portions for clamping into the clamping slot. Such exposed cord sections can be provided as a fastening device in other embodiments as well. For example, the cord may be provided as a perforated tape which can be hooked to protruding flexible pin protrusions or hooks on the holding frame.

The holding frame which is provided with an annularly continuous or interrupted circumference having a round or square shape can be provided as a more or less wide strip, such that the holding frame is axially open on both sides. However, it may also be provided as a free edge area of a container which has, for example, the shape of a pot.

The width extension of the bag edge area and of the frame edge area is uncritical as long as there is a closed bag volume of a sufficient size after closing the bag.

A preferred embodiment is the application of the invention with devices which are provided as insect traps, so that the collecting bag received in the receptacle can be closed by pulling the cord before the receptacle is detached from the device body, which is the reason why collected living insects cannot escape while the receptacle is being detached.

These and other features and embodiments will be described in the claims and in the description of the Figures.

The invention further provides a collecting bag which in the present description and/or in the claims is formed directly or indirectly in the manner described with respect to the collecting bag in the holding frame and which not only comprises a fastening device for fastening in a holding frame but also an integrated cord for pulling the bag edge area together and for simultaneously detaching the same from the inside of the holding frame.

Depending on the application, the bag itself can be a plastic bag, a paper bag, a net bag or a cloth bag made of a tissue which is more or less pervious to air and permeable to water. A bag made of plastic can for example be used as a garbage can bag, as a bag for storing food, especially food which is capable of flowing. A bag made of paper can also be used as a garbage bag especially for organic waste or as a vacuum cleaner bag as well. A net bag may for example be used as a collecting vessel in a vermin trap or in a mosquito trap.

The invention will be further illustrated and described on the basis of embodiments which are shown by the schematic drawings.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B each show the half of embodiments of a collecting bag according to the invention,

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B each show the half of embodiments of a holding frame according to the invention, the holding frame shown in FIG. 2A being adapted to the collecting bag shown in FIG. 1A and the holding frame shown in FIG. 2B being adapted to the collecting bag shown in FIG. 1B,

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show a part of a collecting bag and a holding frame according to another embodiment, and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an insect trap including a device integrated therein according to the invention.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 2A as well as FIG. 1B and FIG. 2B each show an embodiment of a device according to the invention of a collecting bag 4 (FIGS. 1A, 1B) and a holding frame 1 (FIGS. 2A, 2B). The collecting bag 4 comprises on the outside 7 of its free edge area 5, by which the bag opening 7 is surrounded, a fastening device for fastening the bag in a frame 1 as well as a cord 5 by which the bag edge area 5 can be pulled together within the frame 1, so as to simultaneously detach the bag from the frame and close it.

The term “cord” according to the invention is to be understood as a generic term for every elongated pulling structure which is suitable for pulling the bag edge area together, such as a single or multiple fiber, a string, a tape or the like.

The bag 4 shown in FIG. 1A comprises in its free edge area 5, by which the bag opening 6 is surrounded, a cord 8 which extends in a displaceable manner in a hollow hem at the free edge of the bag 4 and which is led out of the hem at an outlet position 9 in the form of an opening to the outside 7 of the edge area 5 as a free cord section 10. A protrusion 17 protruding from the outside 7 of the edge area 5 is provided as a fastening device at a small distance from the cord 8 in the form of a ridge 17 extending around the circumference of the edge area 5 and having for example a mushroom-shaped cross-section, which is elastically deformable.

The holding frame according to FIG. 1B which is provided as a circumferential tape comprises at a distance underneath its free edge 15 a longitudinal slot 16 which is formed on the inside 3 of the frame 1 around the circumference of the inside in a continuous manner, and into which the ridge-shaped protrusion 17 of the bag 4 can be clamped circumferentially or at desired positions, such that the bag 4 can be fixed in the frame 1 in a detachable manner, the bag opening 6 being kept open.

In addition, the holding frame 1 comprises an opening in its wall, which according to FIG. 2A is provided as a slot 12, which is open towards the free edge 15 of the frame. The bag 4 is inserted into the frame 1 and attached therein in such a manner that the outlet position 9 of the cord 8 comes to lie behind the opening 12 and the free cord section 10 is led out to the outside 2 of the frame 1 through the slot 12.

By pulling the cord section 10, the free edge area 5 of the bag 4 can therefore be pulled together more and more, whereby the ridge-shaped protrusion 17 is pulled out of the longitudinal slot 16 until the edge area 5 has been pulled together entirely and closes the bag opening 6. Then, the bag 4 which is now closed can be taken out of the holding frame 1.

According to FIG. 2A, the holding frame 1 comprises a thread 22 on its outside 2, so that it can for example be screwed into a device. In such a case the holding frame 1 can be screwed off the device after closing the bag before the closed bag is taken out of the frame 1.

According to FIG. 1B, several ridge or rib shaped protrusions 17 are provided around the free bag edge 20. The cord 8 is led through a plurality of loops 21 on the outside 7 of the edge area 5 of the bag 4, so that the cord is looped round the edge area 5 closely underneath the free bag edge 20, and extends at an outlet position 9 from one of the loops 21 as a free cord section 10. An area in which no fastening device is provided is kept free between the outlet position 9 and the following protrusion 17.

A holding frame 1 fitting the bag 4 shown in FIG. 1B can be derived from FIG. 2B. Here, the holding frame 1 is continued as a pot-shaped container. The circumferential longitudinal slot 16 for releasably clamping the protrusions 17 is arranged at a distance under the free edge 15 of the frame 1. In addition, the opening in the frame wall is provided as a hole 11 for leading the free cord section 10 out of the bag 4 shown in FIG. 1B.

In the embodiment of the bag according to FIG. 1B, where the cord 8 is threaded through loops 21 arranged at a distance from each other and is therefore exposed on the outside of the bag edge portion between the loops 21, the fastening portions 17 may optionally be omitted, if the cord 8 is for example formed as an elastic plastic fiber fitting the clamping slot 16 of the frame 1 according to FIG. 2B, which is pressed into the clamping slot 16 between the loops 21.

Between the slot 16 and the free edge 15 of the frame 1 bayonet slots 23 are provided according to FIG. 2B for fastening the container comprising frame 1 to a device. However, frame 1 can for example be arranged in the form of a rack or a bucket in a self-contained form and can be closed by a lid (not shown). In such a case the bag 4 can be closed before the lid is taken off the frame 1.

According to FIG. 3A several portions 13 of a fastening device are arranged on the outside of the free edge area 5 of the bag 4 for attaching the bag in a holding frame around the circumference of the edge portion 5 at a distance from each other. These portions may for example be adhesive strips by means of which the bag 4 can for example be attached to the inside of the holding frame in a detachable manner after having removed a protective sheet (not shown). According to FIG. 2B, the cord 8 extends in a hollow hem which is covered by the portions 13, and is led out to the outside of the bag 4 in the form of a free cord section 10 through an outlet position 9 in the form of a hole.

Alternatively, the portions 13 may be provided as loops through which the cord 8 is threaded.

The fastening portions 13 can for example be hook-and-loop fastener strips instead of adhesive strips. For this purpose, the holding frame 1 according to FIG. 2B also comprises on its inside 3 fastening portions in the form of hook-and-loop fastener strips 14 which co-operate with the portions 13 of the bag 4 for a detachable attachment of the same to the holding frame 1.

The holding frame 1 according to FIG. 3B also comprises an opening in its wall, here in the form of a hole 11, through which the free cord section 10 of the bag 4 of FIG. 3A can be threaded to the outside 2 of the frame 1. In addition, a hook 18 for hooking the cord section 10 is provided underneath the hole 11.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the integration of a device according to the invention of a holding frame 1 and a collecting bag 4 into a device 19 which is, for example, provided as an insect trap. The bag 4 is fastened in the container-shaped holding frame 1 by means of fastening devices 13, 14 and is provided with a circumferential cord 8 which is led out of the container with its free cord section 10 through a hole 11 in the container wall. 

1. Apparatus for collecting insects, kitchen waste, dust or similar waste material, having a holding frame (1) comprising an outside (2) and an inside (3) and in which a flexible collecting bag (4) is received comprising a free bag edge area (5) by which the bag opening (6) of the opened bag is surrounded and which comprises an outside (7), wherein: the bag (4) comprises a cord (8) movably extending along the free edge area (5) of the bag and comprising a free cord section (10) which extends from an outlet position (9) on the outside (7) of the edge area, so that the bag can be closed by pulling the cord and thereby contracting the free edge area, an opening (11, 12) is provided in the frame (1), through which the cord section (10) is led out to the outside of the frame, and the outside (7) of the free bag edge area (5) is attached to the inside (3) of the holding frame (1) by means of at least one fastening device (13, 14, 16, 17) in such a manner that the attachment can be released by contracting the free edge area of the bag (4) when pulling the led out cord section (10).
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastening device (13, 14, 16, 17) extends on the holding frame (1) or on the bag edge area (5) continuously or in the form of portions arranged at a distance from each other along such a partial circumferential portion of the holding frame which is arranged opposite the opening (11, 12) in the holding frame and the outlet portion (9) of the cord (4) and ends at a circumferential distance from the opening and the outlet position.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastening device is arranged as a first fastening device (13, 17) on the outside (7) of the free bag edge area (5) and a second fastening device (14, 16) cooperating with the first fastening device for attaching the bag edge area is arranged on the inside (3) of the holding frame (1), wherein the fastening devices are provided to be detachable from each other by contraction of the bag edge area when pulling the led out cord section (10).
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fastening devices (13, 14, 16, 17) extend continuously or in the form of portions arranged at a distance from each other along such a partial circumferential portion of the holding frame and the bag edge area, which is arranged opposite the opening (11, 12) in the holding frame (1) and the outlet position (9) of the cord (4) and ends at a circumferential distance from the opening and the outlet position.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one of the fastening devices is formed as a longitudinal slot (16) and the other fastening device is formed as a protrusion (17) which can be clamped into the slot.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the protrusion (17) is formed to have a ridge-shape.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the longitudinal slot (16) and the ridge-shaped protrusion (17) substantially extend over the entire circumference of the holding frame (1) and the bag edge area (5).
 8. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fastening device provided on the bag (4) is formed by portions of the cord (8) exposed on the outside of the bag edge portion (5).
 9. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fastening devices are provided as hook-and-loop fasteners (13, 14).
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the holding frame (1) is provided as a slot (12) which is open towards one free edge (15) of the holding frame (1).
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the holding frame (1) is provided as a hole (12).
 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a hook (18) for hooking the led out cord section (10) is provided on the outside (2) of the holding frame (1).
 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding frame (1) is provided as an edge portion of a pot-shaped container.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the holding frame (1) and the collecting bag (4) are integrated in a device (19) in the form of an insect trap.
 15. Flexible collecting bag (4) for collecting insects, kitchen waste, dust or similar waste material, having a bag opening (6), an edge area (5) surrounding the bag opening, a cord (4) movably extending along the edge area and comprising a free cord section (10) which extends outwards from an outlet position (9) of the edge portion, so that the bag (4) can be closed by pulling the cord section resulting in a contraction of the edge area, and a fastening device (13, 17) which is provided on the outside (7) of the bag edge area along the edge area continuously or in the form of portions arranged at a distance from each other for fastening the bag in a frame while keeping the bag opening open.
 16. Collecting bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device (13, 17) extends between the cord (8) and the free edge (15) of the bag edge portion (5), or wherein the cord extends between the fastening device and the free edge of the bag edge area or wherein the fastening device and the cord cover each other.
 17. Collecting bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device (13, 17) extends continuously or in the form of portions arranged at a distance from each other along such a partial circumferential portion of the bag edge area which is arranged opposite the outlet position (9) of the cord and ends at a circumferential distance from the outlet position.
 18. Collecting bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device (13) is an adhesive device or a tie gumming which is covered by a removable protective sheet.
 19. Collecting bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device is formed as a protrusion (17) protruding from the outside of the edge portion and being clampable in a clamping opening or in a clamping slot.
 20. Collecting bag according to claim 19, wherein the protrusion (17) is provided in the form of a ridge.
 21. Collecting bag according to claim 19, wherein the protrusion (17) has a mushroom-shaped cross-section.
 22. Collecting bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device (13) comprises a plurality of hook-and-loop fastener hooks or hook-and-loop fastener loops.
 23. Closable bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device (13) comprises a plurality of mushroom-shaped pins which are suitable for meshing with pins arranged and formed in a similar manner.
 24. Closable bag according to claim 15, wherein the fastening device is formed by portions of the cord (8) which are exposed on the outside of the bag edge area (5). 